Although CBS already selected British actor James Corden to take over as host of The Late Late Show after Craig Ferguson retires at the end of the year, it looks like Corden won’t be ready to start work right away. Instead, when the show returns at the beginning of 2015, the Late Late desk will be occupied by a parade of guest hosts, TheWrap reports. Corden’s first show will air on March 9.
CBS hasn’t given any indication of who the interim hosts will be, or how many B-listers will get a chance at fleeting after-midnight stardom. But the move is reminiscent of the last time The Late Late Show was between hosts—in 2004, when CBS filled the void left by Craig Kilborn with a diverse array of stars including Michael Ian Black, D.L. Hughley, Aisha Tyler, Jim Gaffigan, and many others.
The difference in that case was that the 2004 guest hosts were trying out for the actual job: CBS was essentially filling the time slot with an extended on-air audition process. This time, the position has already been filled, so the pretenders to CBS’ 12:35 a.m. throne will just be keeping the seat warm until the new guy shows up.